As you may already know, Florence is full of restaurants that are full of tourists. Mind you, I have nothing against tourists, as I consider myself as a not-so-rare specimen of a hybrid form of half local-half tourist (also known as “expatriate”). I mean, I have Florentine friends and I have my favorite locals in town where the staff know my name (quite an achievement to me) and where I know theirs and I kind-of speak their language. But I still take tons of pictures, as if I were on a trip abroad, and write tons of notes about what I see/ taste/ hear. I like the idea of traveling in the town where I live… Then again, I live in Florence, which makes it easier than, say, Fougeres (in France)! Back to the ramen-thing (“Focus!” as I would say). Let’s start with the terminology (for I have been rightly criticized for not translating or explaining enough the local terms I use, like “a risotto” or “a cappuccino”. Fair enough.). A ramen is a bowl of noodles in a meat-based broth. The pocket-size eatery Banki Ramen is in huge contrast with the rest of the gorgeous town: the decor is austere, there are 8 tables at most, the waiters are neither smiley nor exuberant, it’s the annex of a classic Italian bar, no effort is made on the lighting, there’s no music in the background. It’s the most focused place I’ve seen in town: it’s all about the ramen. You’ll find 10 different choices of ramens on the menu (ranging from 7€ to 10€): “Shoyu ramen” (with soy-sauce), “Ramen of Tokyo” (with dried seaweed), “Summer ramen” (with tomatoes), “Miso ramen” (with, try to guess.), “Summer-Miso ramen” (with tomatoes and miso soup. Did you guess correctly?). The picture shows the Shoyu-Chasyu-ramen (with soy-sauce and an extra-portion of pork meat).
On the wall, you’ll read the 4 ultimate rules on how to eat a ramen :
- Rule #1: Eat it quickly without burning yourself
- Rule #2: Swallow up the noodles being as loud as possible
- Rule #3: Don’t complain to the waitress if it doesn’t taste as you like
- Rule #4: Eat it only there at Banki Ramen
The broth is tasty, the noodles are homemade, the meat is tender. A real surprise. The presence of Japanese locals itself validates the high quality and authenticity of the ramen. I noted that they're only to be seen before 8pm, for after 8pm the place gets packed with Italian curious, young crowds. I’d recommend it for those of you who have had enough of pasta and bistecca during your stay in Florence, those of you who are seeking tourist-free places in town and those of you who want to experience the feeling of traveling to Japan while in Florence.
Banki Ramen
Via de' Banchi 14/R
Florence, Italy
+39 055 213 776
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